This Day in History: 1980-09-28

Cessna 172N VH-EAG collided in mid-air with Edmund Schneider Limited ES 60/II Boomerang VH-GRT near Moorooduc, Victoria on 28 September 1980. At approximately 1555 hours, persons on the ground in the vicinity of Moorooduc and Bungower Roads noticed the glider as it tracked to the south, at a height of about 1000 feet, apparently joining the Moorooduc Aerodrome circuit, on a wide left downwind leg for a landing into the north. The glider then commenced a shallow left turn, probably intended to take it onto the normal downwind displacement. The Cessna aircraft was then observed ahead of and to the left of the glider. It was tracking from east to west, on the crosswind leg of the circuit pattern, and appeared to be slightly higher than the glider. As the two aircraft closed, the Cessna suddenly banked steeply to the right and the glider appeared to pull up. The aircraft then collided, virtually head-on, at a height of about 1000 feet above a point some 2.5km northwest of Moorooduc Aerodrome. Both the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer of the Cessna separated during the collision. The remainder of the aircraft dived steeply to the ground, killing the pilot and three passengers on impact. The glider virtually disintegrated during the collision and its pilot was probably killed at that time. Sources: ATSB; aviation-safety.net website